Is ADHD comparable to autism or alzheimers?

Question

I recently asked a question stating that ADHD is overly diagnosed and could be just made up, people who answered were comparing ADHD to alzheimers and autism. Are these anywhere comparable, considering ADHD is a disorder and autism and alzheimers are diseases.

Answer 1

No, they are no where near the same. I work in this field, and Autism is totally different then Alzheimers, and neither one is related to the other one. Autism and Alzheimers has no medication that relieve the client of the illness; whereas ADD and ADHD do have, and people can live very normal lives on their medicaitons, where as the person with Autism and Alzheimers are usually institutionalized, and if not in an institution, they are in group homes, or at home, being taken care of by family memebers, or in home-health care with family/guardians being the one that does all of their financial/legal stuff. Whereas someone with ADHD or ADD can do this for them selves. The one answer said that ADD took over for the ADHD which is not true. ADD is ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER where as ADHD is ATTENTION DEFICIT/HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER and none of the later is any where related to Autism or Alzhiemers; howeve someone that is Autistic or has Alzheimers can have ADD or ADHD.

Answer 2

There are similarities-in fact many on the autistic spectrum are mis-diagnosed with ADHD. There have been studies that show the similarities. There is a book out there that illustrates them very well. It's called "The ADD Autism Connection" by Diane Kennedy-I found it at my library. Tons of great information.

I disagree with your statement that autism is a disease, though. Whereas a disease is something separate from the person, autism is part of the person's neurological makeup. It permeates everything about their existence. It would be like saying all women are afflicted with female disease. Terms like that are offensive to people within the autistic community. I'm sure that was not your intent-just letting you know.

Answer 3

Many kids with autism are said to have ADD or ADHD as well, but I don't know what alzheimers has anything to do with either of those...

I supposedly have autism and ADD, but I function fine and act as if I don't have either of those. I don't like to make escuses and blame it on some "disease" or "disorder" I have....

This is my theory, but I think ADD and ADHD are disorders of the time. Our world is so fast pace these days and the human brain can't keep up. It's hard to focus when everything is going too fast around us. Back then, people survived fine, there wasn't such things as ADD and ADHD.....

Answer 4

I think I can compare them... let's see... they are all neurological conditions, and they all start with the letter A. OK, I'm done.

Seriously, though, there really isn't a whole lot of overlap. I'm not sure I follow your disorder vs. disease argument as autism is actually commonly refered to a disorder (as in 'autism spectrum disorder'). I'm not sure I've heard alzheimer's specifically refered to as either a disorder or a disease, and I'm not sure where it makes any difference. However, that doesn't make it a sensible comparison any more than it makes sense to compare an ear infection to athletes foot. Ear infections and foot are both local infections, but it's hard to imagine a context in which any understanding of anything would be gained by comparing the two.

Answer 5

ADHD is attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. It used to be referred to ADD. It has nothing to do with Autism or Alzheimers. You can look up all 3 on webmd below. I've also provided a link to an ADHD site.

Answer 6

I don't think they're very comparable. I have ADD (no hyperactivity), and I experience a world of difference with the medicine I take. Without it, for example, if I try to read a book, my eyes will scan the pages and words, but I won't really be reading... I'll just be looking at the words. When people talk to me, it usually goes in one ear and out the other and I just stare into space. I don't think it's at all like autism or azheimers, neither of which have any treatments or cures that are affective, and people with ADD or ADHD can bring themselves to focus without medicine, but it's just not their natural tendency.

Answer 7

ADHD isn't being waiting to pay interest, yet on the comparable time very hyperactive. Austism is a affliction which impacts a individual socially and how they impart. My son has the two ADHD and Austism, his no longer uncomplicated to regulate while no longer on medicine and cant communicate his feeling very very, or understand different peoples thoughts. those with Aspergers can function socially greater effective yet in addition have problem, they could't hind their thoughts, the are in many situations excellent at a million thins, at the same time with enjoying the piano.

Answer 8

Absolutely not. ADHD is a label that gets applied more than makeup. If a therapist sees a little kid that won't sit still then they automatically say they're ADHD. More often than not, they're just kids. Most of them just need a good spanking. But since we've become so soft in this country that everything is sugar-coated, kids don't get any discipline besides sitting in a chair for 10 minutes. If you knew that whatever you did wrong and the most punishment you'll get is sitting in a chair for time-out, then you wouldn't really fear getting in trouble would you? So naturally these kids are running around like animals without any respect for anything. They're not taught to have respect for others, they're taught to be self-centered. Think about it. Most people would rather piss on you then help you. So what happens? You take little Johnny to the therapist because he won't mind his teacher, Dr. Quack talks to Johnny for 15 minutes and says he has ADHD, then proceeds to medicate Johnny to make more money and get his perks from the drug companies. This just zombifies Johnny so he'll depend on the meds and has to keep going back to Dr. Quack to get his meds and listen to "How does that make you feel" for an hour. Does Dr. Quack care? Hell no, as long as the check clears.

When I was in school, there was no such thing as ADHD. Kids were just hyper, and it was treated with a paddle to the butt.

Answer 9

as a mother of two autistic and add children, i definitely know the disorders. after two Dr.s reviews and testing they even admitted to how difficult it is to tell which symptoms were truly add or which ones were from the autism. autistic children fidget the same as add, they have trouble processing info the same as add children, so it is difficult to tell what is add or the autism. autistic children do not have add as often as its diagnosed.on the other hand it is easy to tell if an add child is just add and not autistic also. I'm not sure about the Alzheimer's.

Answer 10

People with ADHD can usually process one thing at a time. So if you ask them to do the the dishes they will do it, however if you ask them to wash the dishes, feed the dog, sweep the floor they won't process any of it. They also can have a lack of concentration and get fidgety. They seem to do better at doing practical things then theory like reading and writing. Alzheimers effects your brain so you lose mental and physical capabilities over a period of time.